Pleasantville Girl Scouts Receive Highest Honors

VALHALLA, N.Y. – Several local Girl Scouts earned the organization’s highest honor – the Gold Award – during Pleasantville’s fourth annual Court of Awards Sunday evening.

“You are all positive role models among your peers and our community,” said Pleasantville Council member and guest speaker Colleen Griffin Wagner. “And by earning this award you join the ranks of generations of young women who have made a difference locally and globally.”

Receiving the honor was Rebecca Aschen, Aileen Collins, Patricia Garibaldi, Bridget Gilfeather, Jennifer Grom, Jacqueline Marra, Jillian McKigney, Rebecca Moore, Emmalisa Stangarone and Samantha Tanner. The awards were earned after the completion of a “journey,” which is typically a community service project. Such projects included raising awareness for domestic violence victims, collecting canned food for local shelters, assisting special needs children with athletic activities and more.

“Don’t be afraid to outshine someone else,” Wagner told the award winners. “Some of us stay small to make other people comfortable. Some of us hum rather than sing so we our song won’t upset other people. If you have a song, I want you to sing it; if you have a speech, speak it; if you have a complaint, voice it; and if you have a need, ask for it.”

The ceremony also honored Pleasantville Daisies in first grade who walked the bridge to becoming Brownies next year. Bronze Awards also were given to fifth-grade Juniors and Silver Awards were given to eighth grade Cadettes and ninth grade Seniors.

A long list of local, county and state politicians joined Wagner at the event. Mayor Peter Scherer, Council member Mindy Berard, Assembly member Thomas Abinanti, County Legislator Michael Smith, and State Sen. Greg Ball all honored the award winners. 

“Any moment you can make your parents proud or your family proud is a very special moment to treasure and remember forever,” Ball said. “And I know you’ll continue to make you family proud for the rest of your life.”

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